


please dont let me go (you should have let me go)

by Vri



Series: hiding both face and mind [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Abuse, Akechi Goro Redemption, Akechi-Centric, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Boys In Love, Child Abuse, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, I dont know how to tag, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, POV Third Person, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Rape/Non-con Elements, akira got hella broken by the interrogation, change my mind, goro is a bean, itll happen i swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-09 22:24:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18926206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vri/pseuds/Vri
Summary: Akechi Goro was going to walk into the interrogation room. He was going to take the guard's gun, shoot the guard, and then shoot Kurusu Akira.That was the plan.Was.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Unexpected Saviour](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16487012) by [BooksAndDragons](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BooksAndDragons/pseuds/BooksAndDragons). 



> I don't own P5, blah blah.
> 
> I will be adding in honourifics and use the surname/given name system. I want to use honourifics because it kind of shows the relationships between the characters, how it changes, and all that. And I'm using the Japanese system mostly because it's what I'm used to seeing when it concerns these characters. If that bothers you, I'm sorry, so...
> 
> Another thing is that I might accidentally switch in between past and present tense. I'm actually more used to writing in present tense, but works of writing like these are generally written in past tense. I tried to make sure it's consistent, but if I missed anything, please tell me so that I can fix it!
> 
> Also! You should probably note that I am fifteen. This work will not be even remotely close to polished, as there is no one betaing (although that would be nice cough) this work. But before that fact turns you off, please at least try to read. I'm going into advanced English next year, so I would really, really appreciate any pointers on my writing. At the same time, if you don't like the ship or don't like something that doesn't have to do with my writing technique, keep any negativity to yourself. Constructive criticism is not yelling about a ship. So...without further ado, let's begin!
> 
> UH ACTUALLY UHHH GIMME A SEC
> 
> so that work that's credited up there? you should probably read it because i might skim over some details ;; because im lazy and yes

Akechi Goro was going to walk into the interrogation room. He was going to take the guard's gun, shoot the guard, and then shoot Kurusu Akira.

That was the plan.

Was.

As soon as he walked into the room, Akechi couldn't believe his eyes. The first thing that he saw - once his eyes adjusted to the lack of light - was the cold, metal table. It was standard for an interrogation room, yes, but what  _wasn't_ standard was the  _blood_ that adorned the steel surface. A dark burgundy. The same shade as his eyes. That was the colour that marred the harsh grey of the table.

The second thing that he noticed was how the floor was littered in needles. Needles...far too many of them for such a short period of time. In a few was a bit of sickly orange residue coating the smooth glass inside. Truth serum, huh? But then...why were there so many? It didn't make sense...

The third thing that he noticed was a small figure. Their black Shujin uniform, combined with their black hair, almost -  _almost -_ hid them from Akechi's sight.

And that's when his heart twisted.

Kurusu Akira.

Joker.

The leader of the Phantom Thieves.

Broken.

Defeated.

Utterly  _gone_.

It all made sense to him now. Shido's men didn't care about how their enemy would be treated. All they cared about was the fact that they would achieve their goal, through any means necessary.  _Like me,_ he thought to himself. But not quite like him. Akechi...couldn't do it. The weight of the silencer was heavy in his breast pocket, right over his heart. Too heavy.

Akechi couldn't help himself anymore. The interrogation room was small - small enough that he could cross over to where Kurusu was within a few steps. As he approached, the smaller and more minute details made themselves known. Like the small needle holes in the Shujin turtleneck. Like the dark, angry purple blotches that adorned Kurusu's pale, slender hands. Like the cuts in Kurusu's wrists, caused by handcuffs pulled far too tightly. Like how Kurusu's perfect porcelain skin was covered in bruises. Like how Kurusu was hardly able to breathe (did he have a broken rib? Probably). 

_Like the way Kurusu shook, how his eyes, normally so sharp, glittered like broken glass._

"I...failed."

Those two words shook Akechi out of his daze. He almost missed how hopeless and emotionless Kurusu sounded. It was so nearly lost to his pulsing  _rage_ at Shido.

"Excuse me?" The detective responded a second too late. Under  _normal_ circumstances, Kurusu would have noticed the lapse in time between his own remark and Akechi's question. But, of course, these weren't  _normal_ circumstances. Beat up, drugged to incoherence, and overall just not in a good place...how could it have been  _normal?_   "I don't quite understand."

Kurusu laughed. It was painful. Scornful and sardonic, a wretched and wry grin crept its way on Kurusu's face.  _No._ It's not right. That expression didn't belong on Kurusu. He should have had Joker's cocky smirk, or his normal calm composure. Not... _that_ _._ Whatever  _that_  was shouldn't have existed. "You...wanted to kill me, right?" The statement created another painful twist in Akechi's heart. Made the silencer in his pocket grow heavier. "Do it. Please...please."

_No. No, no, no. I can't do it. It hurts too much._

"I won't hurt you." 

The statement came out firmer than Akechi initially thought that it would. But it's as gentle, maybe more so, as he'd hoped. It also caused Kurusu to look up in surprise. It's barely visible, but it's  _there._ In the way that his slate-grey eyes widened,  the subtle parting of his lips. 

"Why?" That was, understandably enough, Kurusu's first question. "Why...why are you helping me? You were going to kill me."

Akechi shook his head. "Later." Turning to the guard -  _right, the guard -_ he narrowed his eyes. The man was...confused. A quick once-over was enough to realise that he was innocent. Innocent of Shido's plans. Just a honest person looking to serve true justice, simply to be sacrificed as a mere pawn. "If you don't want to die, leave this place and don't come back.  _And don't tell anyone about what has just transpired._ " The subtle edge to his voice along with the narrowing of his eyes is enough for the policeman to realise his position. A nod, and he goes - but not before a request to know the names of the men who'd been with Shido.

 "Later." Akechi repeated, slowly holding his hand out to Kurusu. The way that the raven-haired boy visibly  _flinched_  from such a small, harmless action hurt. Another twist. Heavier heart. "I won't hurt you. I promise. I'll get you out of here...okay? I need you to trust me for this." It was ironic. Kurusu had placed his trust in Akechi, and had landed here. Now Akechi was asking for Kurusu's trust again to get him out. 

It took far too long. Too long for Kurusu to even react to his words, but it's all  _better_ when he nodded, once. Reached a trembling hand out that met Akechi's gloved one. Let Akechi pull him up; leaned on the brunet for support as they hobbled out.

Akechi used his one free hand and called Sae. One ring. Two rings. Three rings. Fo-

"Akechi-kun?" Sae's voice came out in the beginning of the fourth ring, and Akechi breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Sae-san, I don't have much time to explain. But please bring a car to the back exit of the station. Come down to the interrogation room afterwards;  I need your help." Akechi practically cut her off in his rush to get help. "Please...be as quick as possible. I'll explain to you when we're inside."

Akechi could hear her sigh of irritation, and imagined the prosecutor shaking her head. "Akechi-kun, what's going on? Who's 'we'? And-"

"I'll explain later, Sae-san, but please. I need you to help me. I need you to help  _him_."

Silence on the other line. It went on for a very, very long time before Sae responds. "Fine. I should be there in fifteen minutes. Take care of yourself, Akechi-kun."

The line went dead and Akechi focused on the boy who was with him. His eyelids were fluttering -  _how long has he been awake?_ \- and that brought his full attention to Kurusu. All of the other details that he'd never noticed. Past all of the injuries and the blemishes, Akechi had fifteen minutes to really  _see_ Kurusu.

He'd never seen Kurusu without his glasses or his mask, and really, they made quite the difference. The glasses accentuated the roundness in his features, giving him a soft appearance, while the mask had made the sharpness in his face much more prominent. But without them both, Akechi could see Kurusu. Really see him, without anything altering the appearance of his facial structure. Both disguises had made it impossible to see just how long Kurusu's eyelashes were. The one or two flecks of blue swimming in the dark grey of his irises. The sharpness of his gaze that was slowly returning.

"Are the drugs wearing off?" Akechi asked softly, and  _ah, there's the_ real _Kurusu Akira_. "You seem much more coherent than you were earlier."

Kurusu nodded, but he didn't say anything. Not as if that silence wasn't par for the course with him. Really, he almost never talked.

Akechi went on, seemingly ignoring Kurusu's lack of response. "You must be tired. You were in the Metaverse, after all. You can take a nap - I'm taking you back to Leblanc."

Clearing grey eyes regarded Akechi for a few seconds. Searching. Probably for a clue of a lie, or something of the sort. After finding nothing, Kurusu sighs.

"Thanks, Akechi."

Those words were the last thing that the detective heard before a weight pressed into his shoulder. Kurusu's eyes were shut. The weight, however, wasn't just his head; it was his entire body. And Akechi was forced to wrap his arms around Kurusu to keep the both of them upright.

"Really...you are quite the hassle."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slowly, but surely, things are getting better.
> 
> aka, sae is going to tease goro nonstop about akira because fuck you i think its funny so its gonna happen
> 
> aka whoops sae is super ooc but idk how to write her honh honh honh
> 
> im actual horse shit at writing dialogue bls send help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's 7am and i just woke up so more likely than not there are gonna be some mistakes.
> 
> i dont own P5, all that jazz
> 
> and ofc critiques are welcomed with open arms!
> 
> note: the suffix "-sensei" can be used not only for teachers, but doctors as well.

The drive back to Leblanc was silent, but it wasn't entirely uncomfortable. It had been rather a bit of a struggle getting Kurusu up to the car without being seen, but Sae's returned presence seemed to prove as good of a distraction as any, with her "forgetting an important case file and needing everyone's help to find it." With that time, Akechi was able to drag a half-asleep Phantom Thief outside and into the car. After that, it was only Sae picking up a random folder, claiming she'd found her notes, and returning to the car to retreat.

Akechi was, of course, acutely aware of the weight pressed onto his shoulder again. The warmth that seeped into the side of his body. The deep, soft, relaxed breathing that wasn't coming from Sae or himself. He was  _always_ aware of Kurusu. Eyes on him as he worked behind Leblanc's counter, preparing coffee or curry or whatever had been the order. Eyes on him as he darted around the Metaverse, sneaking around Shadows, hiding from their line of sight. Eyes on him as Kurusu waltzed right into his trap, crashing through the window with an elegant flip only to find the full force of the police waiting.

Eyes on him as he was snuggled right next to Akechi, lashes fluttering against his cheeks.

"You really have it bad, huh, Akechi-kun?" Sae laughed softly, shaking her head. But she wasn't looking at the two of them through the rearview mirror, so did she...

It was only at that point that he realised. Akechi's cheeks turned a surprising shade of red when he figured out that he had been  _thinking out loud_ about  _Kurusu, of all people._ It was mortifying.

"Ah..." Akechi had to say something in his defence, something that would make it clear that  _he was not in any way attracted to Kurusu Akira_. "It was simply...me observing him. A-as an enemy. And then as someone I'm trying to take care of."

This earned him another chuckle, and then a snort. " _Eyelashes,_ Akechi-kun? What's so important about his eyelashes that requires such apt attention?"

He flushed again, mumbled something incoherently, and then slumps in defeat. "My, this must be why you're such a revered prosecutor..." he mumbles, shaking his head. "It was not supposed to be in the plan, Sae-san. Although, my being in this car with you, breaking him out...that wasn't part of the plan, either." He pauses, not sure how to go on,  _if_ he should go on. "But it happened anyway. I don't know how...but...I found myself pulled towards him."

Sae hummed softly, stopping at another red light. "We have a lot of time, Akechi-kun. It  _is_ quite the drive to Leblanc, after all. How about you repay me for doing this for you...by telling me how it started?"

"...fine." Akechi grumbled, crossing his arms. "It's not like we have anything better to do, anyway."

* * *

_The chime of the bells marked someone entering the small cafe Leblanc. As Akechi walked in, however, it wasn't Sakura he saw. No, the older man in the pinstripe apron was nowhere to be found. In his place was a messy-haired boy with raven locks, a pair of glasses, and a piercing gaze. He wore a green apron, and seemed to know how to make the coffee, so he_ must _have worked here, so...why has Akechi never seen this boy before? He came here yesterday, too..._

_"May I take your order?" The boy interrupted Akechi from his musings, and, snapping back to reality, Akechi nodded._

_"Ah, yes, my apologies. I'd like the house blend, please." He replied a fraction too quickly. This boy's eyes...were nothing like he'd ever seen before. The rest of him was very ordinary, kind of like someone you'd pass by on the street and forget about seconds later. But his eyes...even hidden behind thick lenses, they were sharp, sharper than any ordinary person's stare. But the boy only nodded and got to work on Akechi's coffee without another word._

_It was funny. The boy didn't even seem to recognise him. Perhaps he didn't watch much TV? There was almost no other way for him to_ not _know about the high school detective, second coming of the Detective Prince, Akechi Goro. Not like he was trying to seem conceited or anything, but really, it was becoming rarer and rarer for people to_ not _know who he was - although it was always welcome._

_A cup of coffee was slid across the counter towards Akechi, who nodded his thanks and took a small sip. It...wasn't bad. Not quite the same as Sakura's but...it wasn't worse. It was simply different, having been prepared by a different hand._

_"If there's something wrong with the coffee, please tell me. I'm still learning how to make it, so feedback would be really appreciated."_

_The voice made Akechi look up in surprise at the young barista, who was simply looking expectantly at Akechi. No trace of recognition, nothing that implied that he wanted something out of him. Just a young worker looking for some feedback so he can learn to do better._

_Akechi shook his head with a polite smile. The same one he used on TV. "No, I don't think there's any need. This coffee is at least on par with Sakura-san's."_

_He was held to that piercing stare, and this time the silence lasts for a good few seconds. "I see." The barista finally replied, taking a glance at the clock before retrieving a towel to wipe the counter off, cleaning stray grains of rice and bits of sauce from the curry, or spilled coffee drops. He said no more._

_Akechi allowed himself to look at the barista. Get used to him now so that he won't hesitate in public like that if he's met with the same person again. Messy black hair, sticking up in all directions (god forbid he ever do that. Akechi would get mauled alive). Incredibly pale skin, almost white (it looked soft to the touch). Wide, black glasses that sat on the edge of his nose (he wondered what the boy would look like without them). A slender frame (really, he looked as if he had no mass on him at all). And of course, Akechi couldn't forget those eyes of his. Swirling grey smoke and warm obsidian._

_Shit._

_The barista, Akechi concluded, was really,_ really _cute._

* * *

"So that's how the two of you met?" Sae's voice hid no amount of amusement. Actually, her shoulders shook from laughing behind the wheel. "Really, Akechi-kun? You were 'observing' a barista within the first couple of hours of meeting the guy?" The silverette shakes her head in disbelief. "But I really can't blame you. Kurusu-kun does seem to be your type." Of course she said it in that damn businesslike tone of hers. Like she's in court, speaking to a witness. Not like she's giving Akechi a hard time about a  _crush_.

"Like I said, I simply wanted to familiarise myself to him. It wouldn't do for me to stand in the doorway in shock if I did end up seeing him again." Akechi argued, huffing softly. "It wasn't anything that I'm sure you're imagining right now."

That only earned another snort and a shake of the head. "How long can you keep denying it, Akechi-kun? You were infatuated with him at first sight. Again, I can't blame you."

Akechi would have said something if it wasn't for Kurusu shifting against him, before the weight was slowly lifted off of the brunet's shoulder. "Ah, Kurusu, you're awake?" The detective leaped at his first chance to squirm out of his and Sae's conversation. "How are you feeling?"

Kurusu took his sweet time to respond, touching a hand to his temple.  _Maybe he had a headache?_   "Yeah." He was definitely alright. His voice was clear, although a bit tainted with pain, but otherwise it was...normal. Well, it would have been. Even if many of Akechi's cases had been falsely done, he did still have the capability to be an honest detective. He didn't miss the way Kurusu's voice shook.

But Sae did, and this wasn't a good place to talk about that, anyway. "That's good." The woman up front murmured, finally reaching Yongen-Jaya. It didn't take much longer for the trio to reach Leblanc. "I'll get Sakura-san. Akechi-kun, stay here with Kurusu-kun." And without leaving a single second for Akechi to protest, the prosecutor left the car.

Akechi figured he might as well lighten the air between them. It would help when he eventually asked about what was going on with Kurusu, anyway.  "So..." he started, getting Kurusu to look up at him. Good, he responded quickly. "How did you know?"

_Brilliantly done, Goro. Ask your would-be murder victim how they knew you were going to kill them._

Contrary to all of Akechi's predicted outcomes, Kurusu shrugged. "It was simple."

Now, this piqued Akechi's interest. How long had Kurusu known? Why did he accept Akechi, even though he knew what had been going to happen? "Do tell me what happened to tip you off. I'm quite curious."

Kurusu hummed softly. "Pancakes." That was his only reply. And that one word seemed so incredibly irrelevant to their conversation that Akechi blinked  _thrice_ at Kurusu. 

"Excuse me?"

"The TV station." Kurusu started to elaborate, and that's when Akechi realised just what his biggest mistake was. "We were trying to decide whether or not to eat. Morgana wanted to go to 'that pancake-looking place.' That's when you came in, asking about said pancakes. But none of us had said the word except Morgana."

Akechi was...stunned. "You knew the entire time that I was lying? So...why did you...?"

"Well, it's not like we had any choice." Kurusu pointed out, and Akechi had to agree. He really had blackmailed the Phantom Thieves into letting him into their group. "But that's not the only reason."

"Not...the only reason?" Akechi echoed, brows furrowed in confusion. "Kurusu, what exactly do you mean by that?"

Kurusu opened his mouth to explain further, but the car door opened with Sae and Sakura waiting expectantly for them. Akechi got out first, holding a hand out for Kurusu. Sae didn't miss the way their fingers laced together as the raven stepped out of the car.

"You kids..." Sakura's voice. The man shook his head, holding the door open for the other three before entering himself. "Seriously, right after they announced his suicide, too? What, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Behind the grumbling facade, Akechi could feel the cafe owner's worry dissipating.

Sae stepped in, her voice light. "Our apologies, Sakura-san. But is there any place we can get Kurusu-kun cleaned up?"

Sakura shook his head again. "Not here, no. You're free to go to my house, though, but make sure to not get caught."

"We should get him checked by a doctor, though.:" Akechi pointed out, frowning. "It's better to do that now than later, no?"

"...Takemi." Kurusu muttered. "I have her contact on my phone. Nijima-san?"

Sae blinked before realising what Kurusu was asking for. Retrieving his phone, she handed the silver device over to Kurusu, who took it. After a couple of minutes of fiddling, he placed the phone to his ear and started talking. "Takemi-san. I need to place a house call." He coughed, and it sounded  _painful._ "As soon as possible."

Akechi heard a woman's voice on the other end of the line, before the doctor apparently hung up. "She's very close by, so it won't take her long." Kurusu mutters, before stumbling up to the attic.  _How_ he managed to lead Akechi there while being almost completely reliant on him would forever remain a mystery.

The attic hadn't changed much. Same miraculously flourishing plant in the corner. Same tiny couch. Same shelves with the same gifts from the other Phantom Thieves. Kurusu broke away from Akechi, sitting down on that same pitiful bed. Right as he did that, the bells to Leblanc rang, a brief "he's in the attic" from Sakura, and a woman appeared.

She had short blue hair and a dark red gaze (similar to his own). Pale skin similar to Kurusu's. But what was really shocking was her attire. Yes, she had a traditional doctor's coat, but were doctors supposed to wear spiked chokers? Or punk clothes in general?

Not like it mattered. The doctor barely spared Akechi a glance before sweeping over to Kurusu, immediately checking him over. "What happened?" She demanded, addressing both males in the room. Her voice was low, firm, and...there was something else in there. Affection, perhaps?

"Ah...Takemi-sensei, are you aware of Kurusu's, er, activities?" Akechi prodded tentatively. Not sure how to answer the doctor's question.

"You mean his stunts as part of the Phantom Thieves? Does that have something to do with this, and how he was declared dead?" Takemi responded while taking Kurusu's pulse. "I know about that."

Akechi sighed in relief. He wouldn't have to be careful about this. "He was arrested and interrogated. Sae-san and I broke him out of the precinct."

Takemi gave a short nod, gently pressing a hand to Kurusu's ribs - which caused a soft growl of pain from the boy. "Fractured ribs. Not broken, but I'll still give you something to help with that. Other than that, he's pretty much fine. I'm worried about whatever they put into his system, but I'm not drawing blood here. Get him cleaned up and stop by my clinic so we can do that."

It was nothing short of a demand, but Akechi was nothing but relieved to know that Kurusu was okay. "Thank you, Takemi-sensei. If there's anything I can do to repay you, please let me know."

She shook her head, gathering her things. "I'll also give you what you're going to need at the clinic. Take care of him." With that, the semi-shady but seemingly reliable doctor left.

"I suppose I should get you cleaned up, now."

* * *

Akechi stood his back facing Kurusu as the latter undressed. He could hear the clothes shifting and being dropped onto the floor -  _do not continue your train of thought, Akechi Goro._ "If you need any assistance with anything, please let me know." The detective struggled to keep his voice even, to not let it shake at all. 

Kurusu said nothing as, presumably, the last of his garments were removed as he heard the water shift. Finally, it was fine for him to turn around - and he almost flinched. The majority of Kurusu's wounds had been obscured by his uniform. And while he  _had_ expected this, it still hurt to see all of the angry red splotches dotting Kurusu's shoulders. The purply-blue or even green bruises peppering his back, his torso. "It's pretty bad, huh?"

"Tell me if it hurts." Akechi winced at the suggestive tone of his words, and Kurusu didn't fail to remark on it.

"Don't be too rough; it's my first time."

Akechi rolled his eyes, lathering his hands with soap and gently rubbing Kurusu's back.  _He was right. Kurusu's skin was really soft._ He said nothing the entire time, only working the rest of the dirt and blood off of the other's skin. 

He let Kurusu do his lower half.

As Kurusu was getting the rest of the job done, Akechi ran back to Leblanc to grab some clothes for him, and he returned just in time to see Kurusu starting to get out. Akechi, not really wanting to embarrass himself quite yet, threw a shirt and a pair of sweatpants at Kurusu before turning around again. He wasn't blushing. Absolutely not. Why would he be blushing?

"You can look now." Kurusu's voice brought Akechi out of his millionth daze that day. He turned around to see the other reaching for a towel to dry his hair. It took a couple of minutes, but at least Kurusu's hair wasn't dripping. 

Akechi moved over to Kurusu. "We need to go to the clinic. Can you tell me where it is? Takemi-sensei has some things that she needs to give you."

"Mhm. I don't think I can walk, though. Sorry." Kurusu apologised, pulling a hood over his face before grasping Akechi's shoulder. It's much less conspicuous than having an arm draped over the detective, and drawing attention would be...problematic at best. 

"You're not causing any problems. Let's go." 

With Kurusu's directions and the fact of how close Takemi's clinic was, the pair of them reached the  _very shady-looking building_ within a few minutes. Akechi reached out, somewhat hesitantly, to open the door. Thankfully, there wasn't anything odd. It seemed...like any other clinic, albeit much smaller. And of course, Takemi was behind the counter. The doctor immediately rushed the two boys into the examination room, where she had Kurusu sit down.

The process of drawing blood wasn't particularly pleasant to look at, but Akechi was certainly nowhere near squeamish. Once that was done, Takemi dumped quite a few things onto Akechi: wraps for Kurusu's ribs, as well as painkillers and her contact in case something happened. Before the detective could even try to pay, Takemi hustled the two of them out of her clinic, saying something about "you don't need to pay me; I'm just helping my assistant." And with that, Akechi found himself in the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya with a newly-bandaged Kurusu next to him.

* * *

Now back at Cafe Leblanc, Akechi winced to see them all. The Phantom Thieves of Hearts...all downstairs. Ryuji was nursing a cup of soda, chatting with Ann about whatever. Makoto and Haru were conversing over twin cups of coffee. Yusuke and Futaba were sitting  _awfully close to each other_. And Morgana was...well, Morgana. When Akechi opened the doors, however, that peaceful and serene atmosphere dropped instantaneously.

 _"You."_   Ryuji's voice was dangerously low, dripping with venom as he nearly spilt his drink in a move to stand up. Dark brown eyes leveled at Akechi, narrowed in pure  _hate_. "You seriously effin' came here, huh? With Akira in tow, too? You've got guts, I'll give you that, but  _what the eff is wrong with you, you bastard?"_

Akechi's maroon eyes dropped down to the wooden flooring in Leblanc. "I-"

"Akechi-kun." Makoto's voice cut in between the tension. "Can you please explain to us what's going on?"

Before Akechi was even able to say a single word, Kurusu stepped into the conversation. "Akechi broke me out of the precinct." He starts, looking each and every member of the Thieves in the eyes. "He helped me get out. Called Makoto's sister to drive us out here. He's the one who took me to Takemi, so that he could get me patched up." Oh. Kurusu's voice shook again. "Akechi helped me."

"For real?!"

"N-no way..."

"Are you serious?"

"What a fascinating turn of events."

"Guess the Detective really wasn't good for nothing."

"Oh, my..."

All of them murmured some kind of surprise, but none of them seemed to even  _realise_ that something was  _wrong_ with their leader. "Anyhow, Kurusu needs rest." Akechi finally said. "I will explain everything tomorrow. But please, go for now."

"You'd better explain this shit." Akechi heard Ryuji's unsatisfied hiss before he exited the cafe. The others followed suit, with Yusuke pausing to observe the two of them.

"There are some strong emotions between the two of you...what a lovely scene...if only I had my paints." The artist mused softly before turning around to leave.

Kurusu laughed shortly. "You're seriously still calling me 'Kurusu' after everything that happened? Just call me 'Akira.'"

Akechi sighed softly, bringing the boy up to the attic. "K-Akira, I...would like to speak to you about something."

The Shujin student gave Akechi a confused stare. "What do you want to talk about?" He asked, somewhat hesitantly. He sounded almost...scared?

"I...I want to know what happened. You're not okay, and you can't convince me that you are."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hmm this is turning out longer than i expected. i guess ill have to cut this chapter in half otherwise ill literally go insane from the line breaks.
> 
>  
> 
> stay tuned qwq


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira opens up.
> 
> Akechi reveals a secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was gonna be in chapter 2 but i was gonna die from all the line breaks so..heh
> 
> i changed the tags and rating for this chapter. if you're not comfortable with abuse and stuff - like a worse version of futaba's life with her uncle - then you should just skip to the end of the chapter.
> 
> im thinking of having an epilogue being a bit with yaldaboath, blah blah. but idk.

Akira was silent. Five seconds passed. Ten. Fifteen. Right before twenty, he opened his mouth to respond. "Excuse me?"

"You're not okay." Akechi repeated, eyes laser-focused on the younger boy. "Akira,  _please_. You've given me so much kindness. Let me repay you." He took a step forward, only for Akira to take a step back. They were approaching the stairs to the attic. "We don't have to do it here. We can go up, but please. Talk to me."

The raven knew that he was up against the stairs. Stepped back again. Rose up one step. "Akechi...please, stop." Akechi had never heard him sound like that. So scared. "I..."

He turned and walked into the attic. Akira's shoulders were trembling. His steps were shaking. He sat down on his bed, gaze distant. Akechi followed after, making sure to create as little noise as physically possible. "Akira." 

Akira shook his head,  _vehemently_. Curls flying, eyes squeezed shut, fingers curled into fists and quaking on his knee. "J-just...I don't want to talk." He muttered. "P-please."

The fact that Akira's eyes were closed made it completely impossible for him to know how Akechi approached the bed. But the shift in weight was enough to alert him that Akechi had sat down next to him, and that was enough to make him  _flinch._ But of course, that wasn't nearly enough to make Akechi give up. He shifted closer to Akira, wrapped his arms around the slim boy. Pulled him closer, tucked him under his chin. Ran his fingers through those unruly black locks. "Akira." He mumbled, rubbing circles in his back. "Whenever you're ready. I'll wait for you to be ready."

It felt like a million years before Akira finally -  _finally_ \- relaxed in his arms. Shook with the full force of his emotions. There wasn't any loud sobbing, but Akechi could still feel the tears dripping onto his lap, his coat. "It's...not just what happened in there." Akira whispered. Barely audible, but it was enough. "That-that was just...a, uh. A t-trigger. D-dark, closed spaces...different from Mementos. Mementos is more open."

"I-it was hard. When I was little. U-uh...my, um, my parents split up really quick. I stayed with my d-dad. Um...he..." Akira swallowed. Took a few shaky breaths before continuing. "I was always...k-kept in the closet. I-I only went to school because he didn't want to get in trouble for not sending me there. L-lunch was the only meal I ate." Akechi's arms tightened slightly around the boy, frowning deeply. "S-sometimes, he would..." Akira's voice trailed off, and he started crying harder.  _Oh my god. To his own son._ "That...it...went on all the way until t-that accident. I-I didn't even care about my record...I was just so  _happy_ that I was able to leave. You...know the rest. T-the interrogation room...just brought back memories. I-I didn't want any of the others to get hurt, e-even though I  _k-knew_ what it was like in there. A-and then when they started the 'interrogation' w-without Nijima-san..." Akira  _whimpered_. God...it hurt so, so much to see him like that. He could hear Loki's voice, an insistent whisper that  _you can get rid of that horrible man; you have the power_.

 "I'm so sorry, Akira..." Akechi murmured, holding the shaking boy. "You're not there anymore. You're not there. You're here."

* * *

"Sorry for, uh...you know." Akira muttered, hugging his knees to his chest. "That."

Akechi shook his head. "There's no reason for you to be sorry, Akira. I'm happy that you were able to trust me with all of that - that's all I can ask."

"...then, uh...um..." Akira started playing with the fringes of his hair, a very slight tint of pink dusting his cheeks.  _Cute._ "Thanks for listening, Akechi."

Akechi blinked a few times before he started laughing. Met with Akira's confused stare, Akechi replies, "You've just bared your soul to me, Akira. I think that you're more than welcome to call me Goro."

A tentative smile found its way to Akira's features, and it was  _beautiful._ Pure happiness and warmth and joy. "Then, thanks, Goro." His given name - the name that he'd buried for so long - sounded so  _good_ coming from Akira. "Why did you do it, though?"

Goro blinked before realising what Akira was talking about. "Right. Breaking you out." He paused, chuckling softly. "It's quite a long story of its own."

"You see, ever since I'd met you at the TV station, I found myself endlessly fascinated by you. Remember how I said that people cannot advance without both thesis and antithesis?  _You_ were  _my_ antithesis. A perfect counterpart. Then...as we started meeting more frequently, I found myself becoming more and more drawn to you. You were so quiet, so easy to look over in the real world. And in the Metaverse, as Joker, you were completely different. Two sides of the same coin, and I...was enraptured in that. Enamored, perhaps, is a better word. As I learned more about you, my thirst for knowledge about you grew stronger and stronger. I...wanted to know everything there was to know about you.

"When Shido told me that you had to die, I didn't want to do it. It took me days to steel my resolve, which was why I'd asked for the infiltration of Sae-san's Palace to be delayed as far as possible. But even all of that preparation wasn't enough. Once I laid eyes on you, my resolve crumbled, and I simply couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to do it. So instead, well, this happened."

Akira listened to Goro in silence. "I...I see. So you didn't want to shoot me because...you thought I was interesting?"

"...you know, you can be quite dense." Goro's tone was endlessly amused at Akira's clueless look. "For the person who completely manipulated me, who made me think that all of my plans were working perfectly fine, you are incredibly oblivious."

"That's mean, Goro." Akira complained, a slight pout on his features. "Really, what do you mean by t-"

"Akira?" Goro gently interrupted him. "Shut up."

Both voices stopped abruptly with a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its done! im so so surprised at all of the kudos and comments and just aaahhh! i didn't think that this would happen at all!!! i love you guys so much!
> 
> i think i will add an epilogue, but itll take some time because i have too many ideas for one right now. i dont really want to include shidos palace, so idrk. i wish i could have included more yutaba elements, but i couldnt really find anywhere to put them.
> 
> thank you so so much for all of your lovely words and stay tuned for more! ive had some ideas, so... h e h


End file.
